Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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lewis m. Gutisx, Proprietor.| $itii{jpittirt Jfamilg ftetospgtr: ^or tjrt promotion of fjie |)alitual, 5oriaI, ^griralhtral aitb donraurtial Jjntmsts of f|t jJontjj. j-TEBMS?$3.00A YEAR,IN ADVANCE. "VOL. 23. YORKVILLE, S. C., THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 1877. , NO. 4. lb* Jfotg l KATE KENNEDY'S GHOST. BY MBS. HENRY DBAS. CHAPTER VIII. . The afternoon was spent in driving abont the environs of the castle. Geraldine bad once been passionately fond of horseback exercise; bat being out of practice now, had not cared to venture upon it so soon, and therefore chose the open carriage instead, as a better means of affording her enjoyment of the expedition. The weather was lovely, the scenery - - " < * L!. _1 . 4. charming, and the Jiiari id dis piewauicsi mood. He seemed resolved, for once, to lay aside his formal aDd reserved demeanor, and conversed with a freedom that set Geraldine also at her ease, and insensibly raised her spirits to an unusually cheerful pitch. Never before, since the renewal of her acquaintanceship with him, had she found him so agreeable a companion. He talked so fluently and well as to draw forth her own conver> sational powers in return, and she was actually surprised to find herself laughing, almost with the gayety of old times, at a jest emanating from his grave lips! "You have a brilliant qolor, Geraldine," observed the Earl, as he assisted her from the carriage, on their return home. "We must go out every afternoon, since the fresh air agrees with you so well." That evening, while they were at dinner, a package of letters was brought in. Among them was one to Geraldine from her mother, . which she was surprised at receiving so soon. ? Mrs. Harcourt wrote in an unusually affectionate strain, and in a cheerful mood. Her epistle contained no news of any importance, but was so elaborately spun out as to occupy four pages, the perusal of which took her a considerable time to accomplish. Having finished it, she looked up to make some remark to the Earl, who had, in the mean time, been engaged with hia correspon - - ? ' n i i deace, and perceived tnat ma lace nau gruwu dark and severe. He held in his haod a letter which he had not yet finished reading, and on the table beside his plate lay an envelope curiously like the one which had contained her own letter, though she did not notice this at the time. Afraid to interrupt him,-she returned to her dinner in silence, secretly wondering what had so changed his genial mood. When he spoke again it was in a grave and constrained tone, quite different from the one he bad used throughout the whole evening. Poor Geraldine's heart sank, and all her temporary brightness was once more clouded over by this adverse phange. By degrees Lord / Desborough seemed to throw off* something of his gloom. After they adjourned to the library (which on ordinary occasions was used as the family sitting-room,) he made an effort at conversation, but his ease of manner did not rvtvroranA Geraldine only faintly reciprocated his attempts, so that the evening proved nearly as dull as the previous one had done. She was in no haste to go to bed, for the remembrance of her last night's experience still weighed upon her; but the hour for retiring came at last, and bidding her husband ^ good night, she sought her chamber with a secret feeling of uneasiness which she could not shake off. She had almost a mind to ask Meredith to sleeD in the ante-room, or on the couch at the foot of her bed, but oo second thought she abandoned the idea. She resolved not to indulge her own cowardice, which she tried to persuade herself was without sufficient cause. Fortunately, her enforced firmness was not doomed to be again shaken on thi* occasion. After some restless tossings she fell asleep, and was relieved, on waking up, to find that she had passed an undisturbed night, and that morning had already begun to dawn. Several dayB now passed without anything upusual occurring to mark their course. The Earl's manner to her was uniformly courteous and kind, but he never returned to the cheerful unrestraint which had characterized his demeanor on that one particular afternoon. Geraldine, on her part, strove to concentrate her thoughts entirely on other matters. She turned her attention to household affairs, being of the sensible opinion that a lady, no matter how high her rank, should know something of the domestic economy of ^ her establishment, and made friends with her \ housekeeper, a shrewd Scotchwoman, whose heart, like that of the gardener, she woiwon their first interview. Besides this, she began " to make acquaintance with some of the poor people on the estate; and though she found the majority of these, thanks to the liberality of the Earl, in a condition of tolerable comfort, yet there were many little marks of kindness which it was in her power to show them, and which only a woman's insight into their needs could suggest. Tjje Earl had already made her a bountiful provision of pocket-money, so bountiful, indeed, that at first she could scarcely prevail upon herself to accept it; and the greater portion of this she bad at once laid aside as Si fund upon which she might draw, as often as occasion required, for the benefit of those in want. She found satisfaction, and even contentment, in the performance of these charitable duties, which drew her thoughts from unpleasant considerations. And when sometimes a little lonely or sad, she had her books and music at home to divert her mind. One day, about a fortnight after her arrival at Desborough Castle, she chanced to go into the smaller study, where she believed she had left a volume of which she was in search. The Earl having gone out somewhat in haste, had left some papers and letters scattered on the table. Among these was an open sheet which attracted Geraldine's notice as being familiar in its appearance, n/t Kor er? immpHiftt.plv rpvprtpd to the sip nature, "Your affectionate mother, Harriet Harcourt." * "My letter from mamma !i' she exclaimed, taking it up; "how in the world did this come here ?" A word or two on the last page, however, caught her attention as she was about to fold it up. It was certainly not the same letter which she had received immediately after her arrival; nor yet another which had since reached her. She turned hastily to the beginning, and read, "My dear Desborough." It was then to the Earl, and not herself, that it was addressed! What could her mother have written to him about, and how came it that he had never spoken to her of having received it? A strong impulse of curiosity, ? / mixed with apprehension, prompted her to I read it, but a sense of honor forbade. It was " as much her husband's private correspond- b ence as any of the rest, and she had no right to pry into it She immediately folded it up IV and returned it to its proper envelope. But 1< the doubts and troubled thoughts it had awakened would not so easily be put aside, h and she remained standing with it in her C hand, brooding uneasily over its probable h contents. Suddenly the door opened, and her y husband came in. s] Geraldine started, and a deep blush crim- 1< soned her face. She felt almost as though d detected in some guilty act> though conscious n of having done nothing wrong. The Earl's y eye immediately fell upon the letter which c< she held in her hand, and she read, or fancied that she read, suspicion in the glance. U "I did not mention Che contents of that let- b ter to you, Geraldine," he said befor.e she si could speak, "because I preferred keeping g you in ignorance of them. Probably, howev- tl er, your mother made you acquainted with o: them when she wrote, and therefore?" "Pardon me, my lord," she quickly inter- ti rupted, "I am not now acquainted with them, b I have not read this letter, though I was y about to take possession of it, thinking it to ri be mine." He gave her a searching glance. "Since d that is the case, so much the better," he grave- 61 ly rejoined. "I was desirous, if possible, to avoid?" He checked himself, and added, "there is really little in it except what regards business affairs, and those I knew would not interest you." He held out his hand for it Q as he spoke, but Geraldine, with a temerity ^ which surprised herself, drew back. ^ "Forgive my curiosity," si e said in a plead- aj ing tone; but will you not allow me to read tl this letter? I have very strong reasons for it wishing to know its contents." ei "Wlat reasons?" he asked, looking keenly at her." b "Reasons I scarcely like to give," she re- n plied, her eyes drooping as she spoke; "but q strong ones nevertheless. My mother?my g lord, what possible business transactions can t{ there be between you and her ?" a] "The Earl smiled in spite of himself. "I did not know you could be so inquisitive, or jv so persistent," he said, in a kind tone. "What ^ if I exercise my prerogative and forbid your 0] questioning me farther?at all events, decline w to answer your questions ?" jj "Then," said Geraldine, encouraged by his e, softened manner, "you must permit me to Ql read the letter instead." ^ "Now listen to me, Geraldine," said the ^ Earl, resuming his serious air. "The knowl- ^ edge of what that letter contains can afford you no satisfaction; and may, perhaps, dis- a, nlease vou. It can certainly do you no good, r I V -- - - _ Be reasonable, and give it back to me at ooce. p. It is ray earnest wish that you should ask me nothing more about it." "All that you tell me, ray lord, only makes w me more anxious to have my own way," said Geraldine. "I am sorry to appear to you in so unamiable?so unruly a light?but even at the cost of your displeasure, I must persist w in my request." ? The Earl turned away with an impatient, 0j almost a vexed air. "Follow your will, then," h, be said, walking toward a window, "but re- hi member, it is contrary to my express desire." Geraldine hastily availed herself of his re- ??( luctant permission to read the letter. As her tl glance traveled down the pages, the flush on tc her cheeks deepened to scarlet, and large tears w of niortiflcation and wounded pride rose to si her eyes. .* si Mrs. Harcourt had enclosed to the Earl the bills due for the various expenses atten- ]c dant upon her daughter's wedding. So many g hundred pounds for a set of new furniture ai and a carpet; so much for the breakfast; dit- hi to a Brussels lace veil; ditto various smaller pi items unnecessary to mention. The kind Earl would surely pardon her, she wrote, for it; troubling him with these matter; but the tr trades-people were importunate, and she was a] unfortunately, not able, at present, to satisfy their demands. Of course Bhe wished it un- a] derstood that it was to be regarded merely as T a loan, which she would repay by degrees as st she was able. But even with that proviso, a she would have shrunk from making the re- T quest, were it not for the certainty that for her fc dearest Geraldine's sake, and in view of his n| tender attachment to her, he would pardon, ei etc., etc. ui Geraldine's heart was swelling so with in- ?1 dignation that she was totally unable to it speak. The Earl, however, after standing si with his back toward her for some time in si- at lence, turned around, and perceiving her agi- S tation, came instantly to her side. tl "GeraldiBe, dry those tears," he said in a tl gentle tone. "You have no cause to shed them." ai "I have cause enough," she bitterly re- ji plied. "I trust, ray lord, that you acquit me cl of all previous knowledge of this matter." a j "I do," said the Earl. "Believe me, I have o1 done so from the first, though I fancied at one ! time that your mother might afterward have 8l j told you about it. It is a trifle, a mere noth- 8( ing, as far as I am concerned, and I entreat w you now to discard all farther thought of it it from your mind." ft "That is not easily done," rejoined Gerald- w ine, who was now weeping without restraint, d ltt' ?^ uftrtwf fa onn vamp Irinrlnoia i A ' XL CUtS LUC IU t IIC IICOI l IVy Ol/V J v u i aiiiuuvuv j thus abused. It humiliates me, it mortifies me it ! beyoud expression, to have any one so near to si j me in blood betray such indelicacy of feel- w j iug." cj "My dear Geraldine, you are too sensitive ei | by far," said the Earl, pressing her hand, which he had taken in his. "Since none of | the responsibility of the matter rests upon p ' you, why let it distress you ? I assure you j s| i that it affords me satisfaction to be able to as- d | sist your mother, and I quite appreciate the fc j disagreeable necessity which has caused her fv to make the request. Of course I paid the vs bills immediately, aud desired her to think no o more of it. I should be sorry to have her si j trouble herself about so trifling an affair." tl "What is trifling to you, is of great im- d portance to her, and to me, also," said Geral- c dine. "But every shilliug of that money a shall be returned to you, of that you may be sure. In no other way could I be compensa-1 k ted for the mortification I now endure." 11 "Geraldine, you talk wildly. What steps ' r do you propose to take in the matter?" re- si joined the Earl. "It is certainly not your affair; and I shall most decidedly resent any c interference on your part. Unless you wish n to make me seriously angry, you will drop all s consideration of the subject now and forever. I lemember this," be added in a warning tone, I mean what I say, and I am not a man to e lightly crossed." "I said nothing unreasonable, my lord. Iy mother herself states that it is merely a Dan." "Yes, but I have settled that finally with er, and now the matter is quite 4t an end. !ome, Geraldine, let it rest. I regret what as happened only for the pain it has caused ou to feel, and which I would gladly have pared you if I could. My carelessness in saving my letter open has brought all this isturbance about, but. it will be a lesson to le to be on my guard in future. Trust me, ou shall see nothing more of my butineta orrespondence." "I hoDe there will be no more of this uort > see," said Geraldine, whose cheeks still uroed, though his kind manner somewhat oothed her disturbed feelings. "I feel your enerosity, your consideration, more deeply ian I can express?but words are poor proofs f gratitude." "Gratitude is not a word to be used beyeen friends," said the Earl. "You rememer our compact, do you not? Grant me our friendship and confidence, and I shall squire nothing more at your hands." And with these words he turned away, eviently desiring to consider the subject at an ad. CHAPTER IX. After the above occurrence, a more cordial nderetanding seemed to be established beveen Geraldine and the Earl, than bad horejfore existed. Neither of them reverted gain to the subject which had so distressed le former. The Earl, in fact, soon dismissed from his thoughts, though by her it was less isily forgotten. One cold, dreary Autumn evening, her busand having ridden out to attend a parish leeting, which woula detain him until late, reraldine found herself alone. An unwonted loom hung over her; but this she attributed > the influence of the weather, to which, at II times, she was peculiarly susceptible, he wind whistled shrilly around the old ded turrets of the castle, with a wierd and ielaDcholy sound, and occasionally a shower f rain-drops pattered gustily against the indow panes. Within the warm and wellghted library it was cosy and cheerful lough. A bright fire burned in the chimay, and the heavy crimson curtains, closely rawn, effectually excluded all unwelcome raughts. Geraldine had brought down from er own little library up-stairs, an entertainig book she was engaged iff reading, to while way her solitude and divert her thoughts, ut she could not fix her attention upon its ages, though she endeavored, perseveringly, >r some time, to do so. At last she abananed the attempt, and took up some needleork instead. But this, too, proved a failure, [er stitches all went wrong, and She threw it awn impatiently, vexed at her own stupidity. "I wonder what in the world is the matter ith me this evening ?" she exclaimed aloud. [ have such a restless, strange feeling?a sort f foreboding of I know not what, seems to ang over me. I wish George would come Dme." She had fallen into a habit of calling him Greorge," when alone, and in her own loughts. Somehow it was pleasant to her i do it. The formal title by which she alays addressed him, seemed to mark so decively the gulf between them?a gulf which le could not overetep save in secret. "How dreary the wind sounds 1 How mely it is here! I almost have a mind to ind down and ask Mrs. Malcolm to come up id sit with rae awhile ; but no, 1 forgot, she as her niece staying with'her at present, and rohahly she would not like to leave her. Oh ! ear, I wish I could read, or employ myself i some way ; but I can't, it's all in vain to y. It is grdwing very cold ; I feel chilled 11 over?and yet there is a good fire too." She drew nearer the fire and stirred the [ready glowing logs into a more ruddy blaze, he room was, indeed, quite warm, but a range vapory feeling had crept over her, as if murky cloud had enveloped her in its folds, 'he lights, too, burned more dimly than beire. Was it a sudden freak of the atmoshere which had caused the change ? Shiv ing, she took up a worsted shawl that lay ear her, and wrapped it closely around her loulders ; but she derived no comfort from s fleecy folds. Suddenly a low, long-drawn gh near her, almost in her ear, made her art and look around. No one was in sight, he sat still and listened, trembling. Again le sigh, deep, tremulous, and prolonged, as lough uprising from the depths of a sorrowiden heart. Geraldine's breath came fast, ad her Dulses seemed to stand still; but ? A idge of her increased terror, when a cold, Ia9ping hand, clammy in touch like that of dying person, was gently laid upon her wn I She did not scream or cry out for help. 16 sat as if paralyzed, unable to utter a >und, or even to move. But her sensation as one of such deadly, sickeuing fear, that seemed as if death would almost be preirable. The hand tightened its clasp?it as drawing her, impelling her to rise. Sudenly her strength returned, and she made a antic effort to release herself from its in visile hold. The icy, clinging fingers relaiced owly, as if against their will. The sigh as repeated, and in a low moaning whisper ime the words, faintly but distinctly breath3 into her ear? "Come ! Come !! Come ! ! /" Each one was uttered with a greater erahasis than the last, as if the mysterious peaker were moved, by the urgency of her esire, to press her claim each time with more >rcible earnestness than before. I say her, tr the voice was a woman's voice, and the hand 'as a woman's hand, small and slight; but f this Geraldine took no note. As the presjre of the fingers was removed, and the bird pleading "Corao!" at the same instant ied lingeringly on her ear, terror quite overarae her reasoning powers, and she fainted way. How long her swoon lasted, she did not now. But when she came to herself, Lord )esborough was bending over her, and the oom was filled with the pungent odor of ome strong restorative he had employed. "Geraldine, what is the matter?" he exlaimed, with solicitude. "I came in five linutes ago, and found you lying back inaenible in your chair." Geraldine passed her hand over her brow. I * At first she was too bewildered to recall distinctly what had happened, but presently it j all flashed over her, and as the remembrance came to mind a shudder convulsed her frame. Almost unconsciously, she clung to her husband's arm, as if for protection and support, while casting an apprehensive look around. Soothingly he pressed her cold hand in his, as he sat down by her side, i "Has anything happened 'to disturb you, or alarm you, while I was absent? You look as white as if you had seen a ghost" "I have not seen one, but I have felt and # * 0 heard one, I believe," replied Geraldine, with a sickly attempt at a smile. "You will no doubt suppose what I tell you to be the result of mere fancy, but it wa? fearfully real; of that I am assured." And in a low tone, as if the sound of ber own recital brought back her fears, she related what had occurred. "It was a mere vision?a passing fantasy," " - ? Ll-J 1 1 i?J said tbe Hian, tnougn a irouuieu mun reoLou oo his face. "You had, doubtless, been indulging in some uncomfortable thoughts? perhaps the solitude of the room and the dreariness of the weather affected your spirits, and this imaginary visitation was the result." Geraldine shook her head. "It is true, I had felt somewhat depressed," she replied ; but my thoughts bad not been engaged on any ghostly subject, nor reverted, in the least, to any such possible occurrence. And I am the less inclined to accept your explanation, from the recollection I have of something which happened, of a similar nature, the first night after my arrival here." "And what was that?" asked the'Earl. She then told him of the figure she had seen by moonlight, in the mirror; in her bed-room. Of her investigation of the mystery, and its unsatisfactory result. "You see I was perfectly calm and collected on that occasion," she added, "for I was able to make a thorough search of my room, and I am perfectly sure that it was impossible for any one to be hidden there. Besides, there stood the reflection, beside my own, as if of some person directly behind my shoulder, and when I- turned and looked, there was no one there!" "And yet the reflection remained in the _ A. .. AMMmMAAfl nAllMoIf fKaf mirror, aner you xmu uuunu^u juuiwu ?ui? no one was standing beside you ?" "Yes, for a moment or two longer. Then, as I watched it, it gradually, almost imperceptibly, melted away." "And why did you not speak to me of this, Geraldine ?" "Because I thought it likely that you would regard it merely as fancy on my part, or, as I tried to think, you would think it an optical delusion." "And you do not think it was an optical delusion ?" "No, I do not?because?but you will ridicule what I am about to say." "I will not, indeed. Tell me candidly your feelingB on the subject." ? "Well, then, I believe?am forced to belief, against my will, against my reason, against common sense, even? that there was actually some presence in the room, revealed to me only in this singular manner; because I felt a cold breath pass over me, exactly as I did this evening; and because, as I stood before the glass, I had a sensation of horror imnossihle to describe?a feelintr of absolute con I W viction that tome one was beside me, though I neither saw nor felt it?or her, I suppose I should say." "You are sure the reflection was a woman's ?" "Perfectly sure; a woman about my -own height, perhaps a little taller; slender in form, and with wavy hair hanging about her. The face I could not distinctly see." "Of what color was the hair?" "That I could not distinguish either; it had a dusky look." "And the hand pointed, you say, toward the door?" "Yes, the whole time, without moving." "Are you absolutely certain, Geraldine, that all this was not a dream ?" i "I am as certain of it, my lord, as that I am now sitting here in this room." Lord Desborough rose from his chair and walked up and down the apartment several times in an agitated manner, his face wearing a serious and perplexed expression. At length he returned to his seat, and again taking his wife's hand in his own, resumed in an earnest voice, "Geraldine, since you have told me all this, T feel imnelled in mv turn to make vou a con fession, which I had intended should never pass my lips. You are a woman of sense and understanding, and I feel that you are entirely worthy of my confidence." At these words, uttered though they were in a serious and pre-occupied manner, as though solely in reference to the more important subject which at that moment occupied his mind, Geraldine's pulses again throbbed with a feeling of tumultuous happiness, as they done on the morning when be had bestowed on her his first caress. She glanced timidly in his face in the momentary hope of reading there the sign of some corresponding emotioa on his part; but he was thinking then only of what he was about to say. "After your own experience," he contin-. ued, "you will not be greatly startled, or inclined to doubt my statement, when X inform you that I, too, have twice had a mysterious visitation, evidently from the same source." "No 1" exclaimed Geraldine. "I have indeed ; and I can assure you that I have been not a little troubled ig mind, to account for what I could not attribute to a disordered imagination, though I tried for a long time to believe it to be the result of this alone. I will tell you how it happened on each occasion. The first time, I was walking alone one evening through the long avenue of oaks near the park. I had felt dull &nd uncomfortable, I knew not why, and had gone out thinking that a stroll in the fresh air would be the best cure for ray low spirits. This was about four years ago, shortly after I had taken possession of this place. It was growing late, and I was about to turn my steps homeward, when a voice hear by distinctly pronounced ray name. I stopped instantly, and turned to see where the sound came from, but no one was to be seen. As I hesitated, wondering, and fancying that I had been mistaken, the voice repeated my name in a louder tone. It said 'George! George 1!' in a tone bo clear and audible that there was no mistaking it?and at that instant, I'll sw^ar to you, Geraldine, I felt a hand laid on my arm, as plainly as I now feel your hand in mine. I confess to you it sent a quiver j i J . . ? .j- .. /... - . . through my nerves, though I am generally cool and steady enough, and have no superstition in my nature. The strangest part of 1 it was, that I recognized the voice." "It was a voice you knew, then I" exclaimed ? Geraldine, who listened with breathless inter- t est. ] "Yes?the voice of some one I had known I in days gone by. I am coming to that pres- 1 ently. Well, as I told you, I felt this pres- c sure of a hand upon my arm, as my name ^ was uttered the second and third times ; and, E at the same moment, the sensation, as you c have described it, of the nearness of some un- f seen presence?the feeling of absolute certain- c - ' ? -i J- C ty tnat wmcuixng was mere, ciu?e ui uij omc. AH this, however, occupied a very short space of time, and before I could at all recover from my confusion, the presence seemed to vanish away. I felt that it was gone, just as I had felt, an ihstant before, the conviction of its being there." "And was that all ?" "For that tim6?yes. After that, about eighteen months elapsed without any recurrence of the visitation, which, by degrees, I had almost persuaded myself was a chimera of my own brain. The second time was at midnight. I was awakened by hearing the hall-clock, near my bed-room door, strike twelve, and at the same moment the curtain of my bed was drawn aside. At first, I could see nothing. But by the light of the fire, which still smouldered in the chimney, I gradually began to perceive the outlines, growing more and more distinct, as I looked, of a figure .at the side of the bed. The face was shadowy, and half-veiled by flowing hair, but the figure and the attitude were perfectly familiar to me. It was the shape of a woman, of a girl rather, whom I had known years before, and believed to be dead." "Whatdid you do?" asked lieraldine. t I called aloud, "Katie, is it you V She 1 j made no reply, but stretching out one band, t pointed toward the door as if inviting me to * rise and go out. Remained in this position ^ for a moment, then faded out of my sight." g "Yon said," said Geraldine in a low tone, ] "that you believed her to be dead. Is that e still your belief?" i "It is; in fact I am confirmed in this be- * lief by these mysterious apparitions, which, a notwithstanding all the rational arguments r one might bring forward to confute the idea, 0 certainly seem to savor strongly of the super- f natural!" v Both were silent for a time. Then the Earl a said, in a more cheerful tone than before? c "These are gloomy fancies for a stormy, j dreary night like this, are they not ? I can't t resist the temptation, however, of telling you v a story of my past life connected with the t subject in question?that is, provided you care to listen to it. Perhaps you are too weary ?" J "Oh! no, I am not weary," replied Geral- ? dine, in a voice which in spite of herself was i cold and constrained. Who was this ghostly t Katie, whose memory seemed to affect her v husband so strongly, and whose wrath walked ? abroad to disturb his peace and her own also ? * ? -11 L.I ?I I 1 L Some young gin, aououess, wnu uuu ouuc ^ wielded an influence over him, and held a v sway upon his affections, which she herself ] could not hope ever to attain! 1 [to .be continued.] j IpjSfeliattriMSi ftradmij.1 WADE HAMPTON. * There is a disposition, we regret to see, on t the part of many, both North and South, to i indulge in harsh and unkindly criticism of i Governor Hampton. ] Some, indeed, have gone so far as to accuse i him of a warn of patriotism, or at least of a t want of fealty to the Democratic party, and t all because he has seen proper to address let- ( ters, identical in sentiment and language, to a the two men who are confessedly the central ? figures of the two parties contending for the * control of the Federal Government, and in 1 one or the other of whose hands that Gov- ? ernment must fall. There is nothing either s in the sentiment or in the language of these v letters that is in the least objectionable ; nor $ does there seem to be any objection to the fact' that such a letter was sent to Mr. Tilden. c The objection is that Governor Hampton I should, under any circumstances, send any 1 communication to Mr. Hayes, even though v I that communication only reiterated what he I i had said a hundred times before, that is to t say, that be and bis friends in Soutb Caroli* a na proposed to obey tbe Constitution and $ laws of tbe country, and desired that tbe v right should prevail by peaceful methods 1 rather than by force of arms. s This is the extent of bis offending and no t more, and for this offense, if offense it be, tbe n man who less than thirty short days ago was b lauded and praised more than any roan in t America, has been cast down from bis high t estate, soon to become, it would seem, tbe * common object of distrust, suspicion and an- g imadversion. This is an age of swift suspicion, it makes baste to pass judgment, it is no respecter of persons, nor does it consider ^ blameless lives nor eminent services. ^ And tbe press of the country is in a great g degree responsible for it. Tbe hard rule of 0 those who conduct the press is to crush out, | with tbe strong hand, all opposition to the g particular policy that may have been agreed p upon as the proper one to be followed. If ^ any man in America ought to have deemed <] himself safe from calumny, from suspicion j, and even from unfriendly criticism, that man Q surely was Wade Hampton. From one end ? of the country to the other, in every nook and t corner of the land, the sound of his praises >] was heard. It mattered not which party men ^ preferred, they all concurred, with few excep- c tione at least, in their tribute of admiration t for tbe rare skill and prudence and discretion E and manly patriotism with which he conduct- < ed the canvass in South Carolina. And cer- f tainly from Democrats this tribute was due, ^ as but for bis consummate conduct of that ? campaign, we could never have carried a ^ single one of the Northern States so necessa- gi ry to our success in November. tj But it does not accord with the views of I some self-constituted manipulators of public a opinion for Governor Hampton to say to Mr. c Hayes, individually, what he has said to the tl world collectively scores of times; and straightway his pre-eminent services are forgotten, tj and newspapers and their correspondents at j once enter upon a course that if persisted in J will, in thirty days, bring it about that few 8| there will be so poor as to do reverence to him c who but yesterday commanded their warmest tl expressions of grateful admiration and devo- h ted homage. n We really think it is time to call a halt in tl this matter. It will be well, we think, for us a to pause and consider before we condemn / Gov. Hampton as wanting either in fealty to a the country or in devotion to the party. ? When Wade Hampton betrays his trust and b plays false to honor and to liberty, we shall d begin to believe there is indeed no future left b to us.?Raleigh, N. C., Observer. <j ' ...M 1 '' T-'J* CORNELIUS YANDERBELT. th< The death of Cornelias Vanderbilt, the de ailroad king of this country, took place in Jew York Thursday week, after an illness of everal months. Though he had reached an advanced age, it has not been until a few years & hat he gave indications of physical decay. ev His well known temperate habits secured to aQ lira, till his recent illness, vigor and intellect- on tal power, and his old age was without the c* lecrepitude that so often marks the closing'1 reare of a man of his industry and activity, ? Cornelius Vanderbilt was a remarkable vr nan, a type in many respects of a large class ? if Americans, who by dint of their own eforts and through untiring industry, acquire r listinction and great wealth. He was born ?j? in Staten Island, May 27, 1794, and had, herefore, completed his eighty-second year, lis erect form, the freshness of his complex- ^ on and the quickness of his mind to grasp ind decide great questions of business man- fr igement, he retained to the last His parents sere poor, and when a boy he assisted his ather in running a ferry, and with its man- . igement he imbibed the taste for navigation m vhich shaped his coarse of life. When sixeen yean of age he became the owner of a mall boat, and by the time he was eighteen ^ rears of age he was part owner and captain >f the largest periangers in the harbor. Doing the war of 1812, he rendered efficient ser- B rice in supplying the forts in and about New a fork with supplies, and he enjoyed the repu- p ation of never having seen a night too dark 1 >r a storm so threatening that he would re- ^ use to perform a service. In 1818 he mar- , led Miss Sophia Johnson, with whom he lived 'or fifty-three years. Mrs. Vanderbilt was . rind and amiable, a noble mother and a true . vife. That she stimulated her hosband to j jreat exertions by her own habits of industry, 1 md that her counsel was always kindly, her . leceased husband freely admitted. She was { he mother of thirteen children. At one time during the earlier part of his narried life, he was the proprietor of a hotel I" it Brunswick, N. J., which his wife superin- ? ended, while he performed the duties of cap- ? ain of a steamer which plied between New . fork and Brunswick. . While he was induerious and pushing, she was saving and care- ^ In 1817 Vanderbilt entered the service of jjj Dhomas Gibbins, the proprietor of the line of teamen running between New York apd . Philadelphia, and his wonderful tact in the oanagement was soon exhibited, and he gradlally acquired wealth and gave his attention o building steamboats for the Hudson. He jjG Jways aimed to build better and faster boats nd run at lower fares, and he coined money apidly. When the California fever broke ut, and everybody appeared to be on the start or the gold diggings, he again seized the fa* orable opportunity and established a route, aQ d it was his intention to have built a ship anal by the San Juan river and LakeNica- aG agua, which be abandoned aft^r a personal nspection of the route. His line of steamers, ea hough far from what they onght to have been, ?ere treely used, ana ne soia out nis enure in- Q. erest in 1853 to the Transit Company.^ His memorable trip to Europe in his'steam m racht "North Star" made his name familiar ibroad, and upon his return he established ^ in independent line of steamers between New 8C fork and Havre, and the exciting race be- tr) ween the Vanderbilt and the other steamers 0E vill be remembered, as the Vanderbilt led ^ dl her competitors. ^He subsequently gave he steamer, after fitting her up, to the United at Hates Government. She was valued at a * nillion of dollars. A resolution of thanks fe yas passed by Congress and approved -by the President, and a gold medal presented to Mr. y fanderbilt to commemorate the gift. Since .863 the Commodore has devoted his attenion to railroad enterprises, and his career is veil known. fQ Mr. Vanderbilt during his steamship career jn yas the owner of 21^teamships, 11 of which le built, and his fleet numbered 66. The ^ lontrol of so large a number gave him the gc itle of Commodore. His interests in rail- ^ oads were largely extended. In 1844 he was in tha TJoir Vnrt and "Maw tTuvfln Railroad, and in 1845 be became interested n tbe Harlem Railroad, and in 1864 he held he whole of it. He secured a controlling inerest in the Hudson River and New York Central Railroads, and consolidated the two, md since 1873 the Lake Shore and Michigan southern have been operated in connection vith the New York Central and Hudson J iiver roads, making a continuous route of ch 178 miles, and with the Harlem road and so ide tracks the total length controlled by him so pas 2,128 miles in extent, with a capital of be 1149,000,000. # al Mr. Vanderbilt's wealth is variously esti- fa uated from fifty to eighty millions of dollars, dr n 1864 his accumulations were $40,000,000. th Che Vanderbilt University, located at Nash- SI 'ille, Tenn., was established in 1872 by the pi dethodists, and in 1873 Mr. Vanderbilt gave lis o the enterprise half a million of dollars, Se .nd he has since increased the amount to Jc 1700,000, three hundred thousand dollars of er vhich is to remain as an endowment fund, lei lis gifts have not been ostentatiously be- so towed, but he has been liberal in his dona- Gi ions, and a portion of his large wealth will ri< io doubt be given to public institutions. In mi lis domestic life he was an amiable man, par- nti ial to a good horse and fond of the sports of er, he turf, but he was free from those vices wi L.'-l ? AO AAA A ISM* 1 AM ruiuu ttUUULupaujr tu Uitcu iuo puoowoiwu sjx mm ;rest wealth. en End of a Family of Brigands in Kan- ?' as.?One of the blackest of all Crimea ia m ;nown as the Bender tragedy of Kansas, "he Bender family was resident in Mont- <]r Ornery county, Kansas ; the family consisted ar f "old man" Bender, his wife, his daughter jn Cate, and his son, a young man who is to jn ome considerable extent acquitted in the {]e lublic mind of much that is charged without gc listinction to his father, mother, and sister. ez ?he crime of the crowd consisted of murder- gg Qg from mercenary motives, and burying up- ac n their wayside premises, not fewer than nine g0 lersons, all of them travelers, and' some of ia hem citizens of at least local prominence. ne ?hough a number of'sudden disappearances" w] lad occurred in Montgomery county, suspi- 0f ion had not settled on the Benders until af- At er Dr. York, brother of A. M. York, the ex- wj loser of ex-Senator Pomeroy, had suddenly foe come up missing," and when suspicion bad M inally fallen upon the family, every member W{ f the same simultaneously disappeared. Since ^e, heir disappearance no trace of them has ever te< ieen found, notwithstanding the most diligent ^ earch and the most intricate plans and plot- pe iugs of detective bureaus the country over. ^ til of this, until within a few days, has been ccepted as the essential substance of what ould be discovered or explained relative to ha he procedure. inl Very lately, however, an unexpected solu- let ion of the matter has been offered, though as kii et it must not be accepted as conclusive, rei ^acts have come to light which point very an trougly to the supposition that a vigilance soi ommittee went to the Benders' house, placed be hem in their own wagon, drawn by their own of orses, and conveyed them to a secluded spot in ot far off, on the edge of a large pond, and tai here extorted a full confession from them of sc? 11 their crimes, down to the smallest details, soi tfter this the Benders were never heard of, fie, nd it is more than probable that their bodies fes rare carefully concealed. It will be reraem- th< ered that a few days after this a wagon was int iscovered near.tkis?6te<b which a pair of coi orses known to be Ben- nei er's projjerty. This gooo followed by cli 3 announcement that the home of the Benre had been deserted. It is said, too, that Governor Osborn was jretly apprised of all these facts, which will soont for the fact that, on the part of the snsas authorities, no systematic effort has er been made to' apprehend the Benders, d stories of their capture elsewhere have ly excited an incredulous smile at the State pital.?Boston Herald. Anecdotes op Stonewall Jackson.? one wall Jackson at 16, was a constable of e county of Lewis, Ya., with his uncle, immings Jackson, as his security. The st execution that came into his hands was ainst a widow living some twelve miles >m the court house. Jackson summoned a in named Charlie Poet to accompany him id to assist him in driving away the cattle ^ iicl) he proposed to lew upon. When he rived there he found that the old woman " ~ - ? All . id bat one cow, tbe principal means 01 ner pport So soon as he learned this he turni to his companion and said: "Charlie, I 11 not levy this execution upon that poor ) man's cow; as poor as ram I would rathwork night and day and pay the debt my[?" Upon that he left there and stated the cts to his ancle, his security on his official ind. He listened to his narrative, and then id: "Tom, I see you were never born to be constable, my boy; resign your office at ice and I will pay the execution." Mr. sulkner, who tells the above story; says al: "I remember upon one occasion I receiv[ a telegram of the extreme illness of a ' inghter in Appomattox county, and oomunieating a message from her that she ished to make some request of me in person ifore she died. I took the telegram to Gen. tckson,^nd asked for a leave of absence for ? few days. He read it, and I observed a ar trickling down his cheek, and after msing for a few moments he said: "Colonel, Bhall not refuse your request, for there is ithing now requiring your presence absotely at headquarters; but I will announce you the rule that governs my conduct. rhen I entered the army I gave myself up my country, and however I might deplore y separation from those I love, and espeally under the circumstances mentioned in is telegram, yet I would not feel myself at >erty to leave my post here. I have left all at are dear to me m the hands of my counj and of my God." CURIOSITY* SHOP.~ T i ? a i .1 . 1 CA JOftWU can ay at tne rata ui iuu uiun ou r.? Daokf can fly at the rate of 90 znilee an iur. The crow can fly at the rate of 25 miles an mr. The sparrow can fly at the rate of 92 miles i hoar. The falcon can fly at the rate of 75 miles i hoar. : Frogs live from 12 to 15 years?if not ten. 120,000 little mouths or pores are foand von one square inch of lilac leaf. Sound moves at the rate of 12 miles a inute. 3,000 stare only are visible to the naked eye. % vuntless millions are revealed by the tele* ope ; some are so remote that their light, aveling at the rate of 200,000 miles a sec* id, canndt arrive at oar little planet in less an 14,000 yean. ^ The different species of birds is estimated 6,000. The different species of fishes will probably acb 10,000. The different species of reptiles will proba* y reach 2,000. There are 250,000 species of living animals. The wings of some animals are so thin that * >,000 placed one upon the other would not rm a heap of more than a quarter of an ch in height. 22,000 eggs of a silk worm weigh one qaar-' r of an ounce. The worm lives from 45 to I days. It increases in weight in thirty ivn ft Snn fnlH and dnrincr the last 28 daVS V" "iwvv ?"?? ? e ? - ? its life eats nothing. ? Glass windows were first used for lights in >80. Chimneys were first pat to hoases in 1246. Tallow candles for lights in 1269. Spectacles invented by .an Italian in 1247. Woolen cloth made in England in 1341. Art of printing from movable type 1420. Washington was married, bat had no tildren. Adams was married and had one n, whom he lived to see President. Jeffern was a widower; his wife died twenty years tfore his election. They had six children, 1 daughters, of whom only two survived inncy. Madison was married but had no chilen. His wife was the most elegant woman at ever adorned the Presidential mansion, te survived him, and was for many years the ide of Washington society, having lived to iten to Henry Clay's farewell speech in the nate. Monroe was married, and so was >hn Quincy Adams. Jackson was a widow, and so was Van Buren and Harrison. Tyr was a widower when he entered office, but on afterward married the heiress, Miss ardiner. He was the only President marsd during his term of office. Polk was a arried man, and . his wife survived him a imber of years. - Gen. Taylor was a widow , Pierce was a married mao, bat Bachanan is a bachelor. The social condition of each Lincoln, Johnson and Grant heeds no refence, except to add that Grant is the first esident who had a daughter married while office. "Teeth Set on Edge."?All acid foods, inks, medicines, tooth-washes and powders e injurious to the teeth. If a tooth is put cider, vinegar, lemon-jaice or tartaric acid, a few hours the enamel will be completely stroyed, so that it can be removed by the iger nail, as if it were chalk. Most have perienced what is commonly called teeth t on edge. The explanation of it is that iid of the fruit that has been eaten has so A J 'l*" a# !>/? fnntli that, th A IL6UCU tiiC CUaUiOl VI Ituv irvvwu VMM* ut pressure is felt by the exceedingly small ? rves which pervade the thin membrane lich connects the enamel and the bony part the tooth. Such an effect cannot be proiced without injuring the enamel. True, it 11 become hard again when the acid has en removed by the fluids of the mouth, just an egg-shell that has been softened in this ly becomes hard again by being put in war. When the effect of sour fruit on the 3th subsides they feel as well as ever, but ey are not as well, and the oftener it is mated the sooner the disastrous consequent^?;, e manifested. _ . ^kThe Dying Lion.?A French officer who s served many years in Algeria, writes ah teresting account of a dying lion. Fangis, covered with mange, and blind, is the ug of beasts on approaching the close o?his iga. When not lying mournfully prostrate d alone in some sheltered nook, or Behind ne friendly mound overgrown with shrubry, he feebly skulks within a small circuit his lair in quest of a morsel of prey, which his decrepitude he rarely succeeds in obining. At this stage of his career, if his int does not utterly fail him, his sole relrce for nutation is an occasional nest of Id mice. Inferior animals smell at him irlessly, and paw him with insolence, for i forest monarch, dethroned by disease, is capable of resistance. Often the rustic Arab nes upon his majesty in his utter helpless58 and ends his troubles with a blow of a . "